Chester's Village

Every dog deserves to be raised by a village, just like a child.

In India, where I am from, there is a beautiful, lived truth: children are raised by a village. They grow up surrounded by a tapestry of family, neighbors, and community support. When a very precious Golden Retriever named Chester walked into my life as a teenager, I realized that our dogs deserve that same collective care—yet in India, being a pet parent often felt like a solo struggle. I lacked basic resources; accessibility was limited, pet-friendly options were rare, and the structured education needed to truly support a dog’s well-being was hard to find.

When we moved to San Francisco, everything changed. We began building the rituals, routines, and community Chester always deserved. He was finally living his best life.

However, when Chester was recently diagnosed with liver cancer, our daily routines took on a new weight. I quickly realized that navigating a complex health journey alone is a challenge no pet parent should ever have to face. During that difficult time, the community we had built became our lifeline. I finally stopped trying to carry the weight of his illness by myself. Chester didn’t just have a home; he had a whole world of people holding us both up. Because of them, the darkest days felt a little lighter, and the impossible became something we could face together.

This community, named CHESTER in his honor, is born from that realization. It is a community built to bring pet parents together, providing the education, accessibility, and support system I once searched for. With Chester by my side to inaugurate this mission, I hope to ensure that every dog has a family that extends beyond their front door.

Because every dog deserves a village!